Absa Currie Cup First Division: An overview of this weekend’s round

THE ORC Griquas consolidated their position at the top of the Absa Currie Cup qualifier log with a 47-20 win over the Down Touch Griffons at Griquas Park in Kimberley on Saturday, July 4. They now have a six point lead over the Leopards, who had a bye this weekend.

Griquas scored six tries in the second half to easily overcome the visitors and increase their log points to 16 after four games in the race for promotion to the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division. It was the Griquas’ third bonus point win from four matches, but throughout the first half they were pinned back by an enthusiastic Griffons team who ran with the ball and showed neat handling skills. The Griquas defence was severely tested by the wave of attacks and after 30 minutes the team was lucky to be just six points down from two Franna du Toit penalties.

The home side’s handling skills were questionable until Griquas flyhalf Francois Brummer changed the game with a superb chip over the defence to centre Jonathan Francke who scored the home side’s first try under the posts. The Griffons were firmly in the game but had no answer to the Griquas onslaught that followed after halftime.

Four minutes into the second half, eighth-man Carel Greeff peeled away from a maul and quick handling from flank RJ Liebenberg allowed the scrumhalf, Tian Meyer, to surge through the backline. Fullback Gouws Prinsloo converted both tries and the Griquas took a healthy 15 point lead. The Griffons put up a good fight but the relentless Griquas managed four more tries.

Griquas wing, Ntabeni Dukisa, shrugged off a series of weak tackles allowing Greeff to breakthrough and for Brummer to score. During a set move at the line-out five meters from the try-line, hooker Martin Bezuidenhout received a scoring pass from lock, Hugo Kloppers. In the last five minutes of the game Wynand Pienaar converted two tries by Griffons wings, Vuyo Mbotho and Norman Nelson.

Scorers:

ORC Griquas: Tries: Jonathan Francke, Carel Greeff, Ntubeni Dukisa, Tian Meyer, Francois Brummer, Hugo Kloppers and Martin Bezuidenhout. Conversions: Gouws Prinsloo (6):

Down Touch Griffons: Tries: Vuyo Mbotho, Norman Nelson. Conversions: Wynand Pienaar (2). Penalties: Franna du Toit (2).

In the first match played on Friday night, the Hino Valke caused an upset when they scraped a 13-12 win over the Border Bulldogs at Buffalo Stadium in East London. With Border down to 13 men in the second half, the Valke managed to hand the home side their first defeat of the season.

The East London side was in the lead 6-3 at halftime but the tables were turned well into the second half when the Valke was awarded a penalty try after Border captain, Blake Kyd, was sent off the field for obstruction. The incident occurred just two minutes after Border lock Wandile Putuma was yellow carded, thus handing the visitors a two-man advantage.

The rest of the game consisted of penalty kicks, with the promising, former Dale College fullback, Logan Basson, a 32 minutes injury replacement for the influential Masixole Banda, kicking three penalties. Border more than held their own with some bone-crunching tackling but they were unable to breach the defensive line. The result is a bitter blow for Border, who had won their two previous ties against Griquas and Boland and was expected to win in front of a vociferous home crowd.

Scorers:

Border: Penalties: Masixole Banda (1), Logan Basson (3).

Hino Valke: Penalty try. Conversion: Juan Kotze. Penalties: Kotze (2).

The second match on Friday night, between the SWD Eagles and Boland Cavaliers at Outeniqua Park in George was a nail-biter till the last minute. Boland fought back from an 11 point deficit to snatch a last gasp 28-all draw against the Eagles when replacement flyhalf, Adriaan Carelse, kicked a last minute penalty. The Eagles received two points for the draw but remain anchored at the foot of the table and are still winless after four games.

Eagles fullback Elric van Vuuren, slotted a penalty to open up a three-point lead in the seventy-eighth minute but even Van Vuuren’s 23 points, wing Denval Demas’ two tries and scrumhalf, Johannes Steyn’s try was not enough, when in a thrilling finish, Van Vuuren and Carelse traded penalties to lock the entertaining match at 28-all.

Scorers:

SWD Eagles: Try: Johannes Steyn. Conversion: Elric van Vuuren. Penalties: Van Vuuren (7).

Boland Cavaliers: Tries: Denwal Demas (2), Yves Bashiya. Conversions: Eric Zana (2). Penalties: Zana (2), Adriaan Carelse.